Document sets are similiar to folder. Each Document Set have one or more documents in it. But Document Sets have more capabilities than folders. As you may now you can start workflows on a document set which will apply to all documents of this set. You also can set some metadata for the set and all the inside files. But the document in the set can have also some additional properties. You will find more information on that in the web.

The document set have also some limitations. You cannot create a document set in a document set. But you can have folders with subfolders and subfolders can have sub-sub folders and sub-document sets. But a document set can only contain documents. So you better think about what you really need to use.

Metadata Management

Metadata is a subject to fill a whole day or write a book. To make it short: you can use this as taxonomy, as folksonomy and you can use it with the term store globally in your server farm or just in a site collection.

Content Types

A best practice tip: create your own “root” content type and you own content types to inherit from you root content type. The reason is simple:

If you create your own content types, you maybe create 20-50 content types. So if now your boss tell you to add a new property to all content types, you have to update each of them. But if you have create your own “root” content type, you just update one and the others will inherit this new property.

Agnes also recommend not to change the default content types. It could have affects on the system, what you might not like.

Content Organization Rules

This function helps to ensure that the documents will be placed in the right folders, document sets or even libraries.

All in all it have been an interesting session with lots of hints and ideas to organize your documents.

The article or information provided here represents completely my own personal view & thought. It is recommended to test the content or scripts of the site in the lab, before making use in the production environment & use it completely at your own risk. The articles, scripts, suggestions or tricks published on the site are provided AS-IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.

About Karsten PohnkeHe is Consultant for SharePoint Solutions for collaboration, communication and business processes. He provides his customers applications based on standard features as well as development or combining the power of several microsoft tools like Dynamics CRM. In his free time he tries to collect tipps and worthy experience in this blog.